Eight Years Ago
by Topaque
Summary: Ayane forgets about killing Kasumi and decides tell Ryu about her feelings about the past. Chapter 3.
1. Eight Years Ago

_I don't own any of the DOA characters. Tecmo does. _

Ryu Hayabusa dashed towards Ayane with a sword ready in his hand. He screamed and lifted his sword above his head, but didn't bring down on Ayane, who was already in her fighting stand.

"What are you doing here, Ryu. Shouldn't you be with Hayate-sama?" Ayane said.

Ryu didn't speak. He couldn't. He could hear rapid footsteps drawing closer to them.

"I can see that Hayate-sama has called on the assassins," Ayane spoke.

The rapid footsteps were becoming louder and louder to Ryu. He could hear leaves drifting down onto the moist ground and the "_whish" _of the assassins drawing out their swords.

"Yes. And they're coming closer too," Ayane continued. She wasn't surprised that Ryu wasn't speaking. That was how he always was. "So you're still waiting for the assassins?"

Ryu nodded, paying closer attention to the sounds around him.

Ayane sighed. She began laughing.

"What's so funny?" Ryu asked.

Ayane shook her head. "Nothing."

Ryu scoffed. "People don't laugh at _nothing_. They must have something to laugh."

"Is that the rule nowadays?" Ayane questioned.

"I would say that it's the truth," Ryu answered.

Ayane continued laughing.

"So, tell me…what is it that you are laughing?" Ryu said.

**Eight years ago**

Little Ayane continued running home from school. Her hair bounced up and down and her strong legs carried her everywhere.

"Slow down there, Ayane," Ayane's father, Genra, said.

Ayane ran to her father and braced her short arms around his waist. "Please, Daddy. Don't make me go back to that horrid school."

Genra sighed. "What about that girl you always talk about? What's her name? Kasumi, was it?"

Ayane nodded. "But Kasumi isn't always there when I need her."

"Well, I'm sure she'll be there tomorrow," Genra comforted.

"Why don't you walk with me to school tomorrow morning?" Ayane suggested.

Genra laughed. "And have _more _people laugh at you? No." He could see Ayane's heart sink. "Ayane, you're a strong eight year old girl. You can take out those guys that tease you. Right?"

Ayane shook her head. "I'm not strong, Daddy, nor smart, nor good looking."

"Where are you getting these things?" Genra asked. "An eight year old doesn't have to be good looking."

"Well, that's what these boys said," Ayane answered.

"Then, _damn_ those boys," Genra smirked.

Ayane giggled. She liked it when her father cursed. It was a way of her knowing that her father was protecting her.

"So you'll go to school tomorrow?" Genra asked.

Ayane moved her head up and down.

"I'm proud of you, Ayane."

Ayane sat on the wet ground staring down at it. She didn't dare to blink. Her eyes were already filling up with tears and her hands weren't touching the sword anymore. "It's funny that he said that he was proud of me because he wanted me continue going to school. I guess all he wanted me to do was to toughen up, so he could see a _true _ninja. But I guess he was wrong. He never saw one."

"So he continued making you go to school?" Ryu said.

"Yes, because I was never a _true _ninja." Ayane answered. "My father just became sadder and sadder each day that passed us, probably because of me."

Ryu couldn't hear the assassins anymore. They were probably looking for Kasumi, not him and Ayane. "I have to go, Ayane," Ryu said.

Ayane sighed. "I understand. Just go."

Ryu turned his back against Ayane and took his left foot forward, but didn't take another step. He closed his eyes and thought about what Kasumi would want him to do. Ryu could feel that all Kasumi wanted was for Ayane to be happy and as light as air.

"What are you doing?" Ayane asked. She saw Ryu walked towards her and sitting down with Ayane.

"Please. Tell me more."

Little Ayane dodged the rocks that were flying in the air. Her forehead was already bleeding from a hard blow of one of the rocks. The blood was already flowing down towards Ayane's eyes, but she ignored it. She was already having enough trouble dodging the rocks flying at her.

"Whoever hits her gets ten bucks from me!" a boy shouted to the others throwing rocks at Ayane.

Ayane could see the rock coming closer to her and a hand had reached out and caught the flying rock. "Kasumi," Ayane mumbled.

Kasumi threw the rock in her hand towards the boy who was shouting.

"Ow!" the boy screamed, putting his hands over his left eye.

Ayane didn't know what to say, accept for, "Thanks."

Kasumi gave back a timid smile. "It's no problem."

Ayane pulled her backpack over her shoulders to let it hang comfortably at her side.

"Hey, Ayane," Kasumi began. "My mom is cooking a big meal tonight and I thought that you might like to come over and help the whole family eat some."

Ayane lips instantly curved up. "Of course I would like to go to you house."

Kasumi continued smiling. "Great. I'll see you in the evening at my place." Kasumi gave Ayane a folded piece of paper. "That's my address inside."

Ayane slipped the folded piece of paper into her pocket.

"It was a bad idea," Ayane told Ryu. "If I hadn't gone to that house, then I wouldn't have known the truth about my birth."

"For some people, the truth sets you free," said Ryu.

Ayane scoffed. "I think that's only for _some_ people. Not me."

"You should be glad, Ayane," Ryu said.

"Of what?" Ayane snarled.

"I don't know. People are still looking for happiness," Ryu replied.

"_People! People! People! _What about _me_? Am _I _being forgotten _again_?" Ayane remarked.

"Who could forget about _you_?" Ryu asked.

Ayane sighed and stood up and patted her pants in case of un-washable mud stains. Ryu stood beside her and looked ahead of him. He could feel a presence behind him and it felt familiar.

"I better be getting back to the clan," Ayane said. "I'll look for Kasumi some other day."

Ryu didn't say anything.

"I'll see you…" and Ayane ran.

Ryu looked over his shoulder and saw Kasumi curled up with her knees brought close to her chest.

"I heard," Kasumi said.

"I know," Ryu answered.

"I'm sorry," said Kasumi.

"For what?" Ryu asked.

"I'm sorry that Ayane feels that way about me. I'm sorry that Ayane has to live like this for the rest of her life."

"_Life?_" Ryu echoed. "Ayane's got to stop some time."

"When?" Kasumi asked.

"When she discovers the next truth about herself," Ryu replied.


	2. Going Along

_I don't own any of the DOA characters. Tecmo does. _

Ryu Hayabusa dashed towards Ayane with a sword ready in his hand. He screamed and lifted his sword above his head, but didn't bring down on Ayane, who was already in her fighting stand.

"What are you doing here, Ryu. Shouldn't you be with Hayate-sama?" Ayane said.

Ryu didn't speak. He couldn't. He could hear rapid footsteps drawing closer to them.

"I can see that Hayate-sama has called on the assassins," Ayane spoke.

The rapid footsteps were becoming louder and louder to Ryu. He could hear leaves drifting down onto the moist ground and the "_whish" _of the assassins drawing out their swords. Birds flew away from the crowded trees and away from the assassins. The birds cawed loudly and tried to defend their territories, but the assassins continued on their search for Kasumi.

"Yes. And they're coming closer too," Ayane continued. She wasn't surprised that Ryu wasn't speaking. That was how he always was. "So you're still waiting for the assassins?"

Ryu nodded, paying closer attention to the sounds around him.

Ayane sighed. She began laughing.

"What's so funny?" Ryu asked.

Ayane shook her head. "Nothing."

Ryu scoffed. "People don't laugh at _nothing_. They must have something to laugh."

"Is that the rule nowadays?" Ayane questioned.

"I would say that it's the truth," Ryu answered.

Ayane continued laughing.

"So, tell me…what is it that you are laughing?" Ryu said.

**Eight years ago**

Little Ayane continued running home from school. Her hair bounced up and down and her strong legs carried her everywhere.

"Slow down there, Ayane," Ayane's father, Genra, said.

Ayane ran to her father and braced her short arms around his waist. "Please, Daddy. Don't make me go back to that horrid school."

Genra sighed. "What about that girl you always talk about? What's her name? Kasumi, was it?"

Ayane nodded. "But Kasumi isn't always there when I need her."

"Well, I'm sure she'll be there tomorrow," Genra comforted.

"Why don't you walk with me to school tomorrow morning?" Ayane suggested.

Genra laughed. "And have _more _people laugh at you? No." He could see Ayane's heart sink. "Ayane, you're a strong eight year old girl. You can take out those guys that tease you. Right?"

Ayane shook her head. "I'm not strong, Daddy, nor smart, nor good looking."

"Where are you getting these things?" Genra asked. "An eight year old doesn't have to be good looking."

"Well, that's what these boys said," Ayane answered.

"Then, _damn_ those boys," Genra smirked.

Ayane giggled. She liked it when her father cursed. It was a way of her knowing that her father was protecting her.

"So you'll go to school tomorrow?" Genra asked.

Ayane moved her head up and down.

"I'm proud of you, Ayane."

Ayane sat on the wet ground staring down at it. She didn't dare to blink. Her eyes were already filling up with tears and her hands weren't touching the sword anymore. "It's funny that he said that he was proud of me because he wanted me continue going to school. I guess all he wanted me to do was to toughen up, so he could see a _true _ninja. But I guess he was wrong. He never saw one."

"So he continued making you go to school?" Ryu said.

"Yes, because I was never a _true _ninja." Ayane answered. "My father just became sadder and sadder each day that passed us, probably because of me."

Ryu couldn't hear the assassins anymore. They were probably looking for Kasumi, not him and Ayane. "I have to go, Ayane," Ryu said.

Ayane sighed. "I understand. Just go."

Ryu turned his back against Ayane and took his left foot forward, but didn't take another step. He closed his eyes and thought about what Kasumi would want him to do. Ryu could feel that all Kasumi wanted was for Ayane to be happy and as light as air.

"What are you doing?" Ayane asked. She saw Ryu walked towards her and sitting down with Ayane.

"Please. Tell me more."

Little Ayane dodged the rocks that were flying in the air. Her forehead was already bleeding from a hard blow of one of the rocks. The blood was already flowing down towards Ayane's eyes, but she ignored it. She was already having enough trouble dodging the rocks flying at her.

"Whoever hits her gets ten bucks from me!" a boy shouted to the others throwing rocks at Ayane.

Ayane could see the rock coming closer to her and a hand had reached out and caught the flying rock. "Kasumi," Ayane mumbled.

Kasumi threw the rock in her hand towards the boy who was shouting.

"Ow!" the boy screamed, putting his hands over his left eye.

Ayane didn't know what to say, accept for, "Thanks."

Kasumi gave back a timid smile. "It's no problem."

Ayane pulled her backpack over her shoulders to let it hang comfortably at her side.

"Hey, Ayane," Kasumi began. "My mom is cooking a big meal tonight and I thought that you might like to come over and help the whole family eat some."

Ayane lips instantly curved up. "Of course I would like to go to you house."

Kasumi continued smiling. "Great. I'll see you in the evening at my place." Kasumi gave Ayane a folded piece of paper. "That's my address inside."

Ayane slipped the folded piece of paper into her pocket.

"It was a bad idea," Ayane told Ryu. "If I hadn't gone to that house, then I wouldn't have known the truth about my birth."

"For some people, the truth sets you free," said Ryu.

Ayane scoffed. "I think that's only for _some_ people. Not me."

"You should be glad, Ayane," Ryu said.

"Of what?" Ayane snarled.

"I don't know. People are still looking for happiness," Ryu replied.

"_People! People! People! _What about _me_? Am _I _being forgotten _again_?" Ayane remarked.

"Who could forget about _you_?" Ryu asked.

Ayane sighed and stood up and patted her pants in case of un-washable mud stains. Ryu stood beside her and looked ahead of him. He could feel a presence behind him and it felt familiar.

"I better be getting back to the clan," Ayane said. "I'll look for Kasumi some other day."

Ryu didn't say anything. He was paying more attention to the presence behind him. He could smellwonderful scented flowers that were not to be seen anywherein the woods. Ayane didn't seem to realize the smell and feel the presence.

"I'll see you…" and Ayane ran.

Ryu looked over his shoulder and saw Kasumi curled up with her knees brought close to her chest.

"I heard," Kasumi said.

"I know," Ryu answered.

"I'm sorry," said Kasumi.

"For what?" Ryu asked.

"I'm sorry that Ayane feels that way about me. I'm sorry that Ayane has to live like this for the rest of her life."

"_Life?_" Ryu echoed. "Ayane's got to stop some time."

"When?" Kasumi asked.

"When she discovers the next truth about herself," Ryu replied.


	3. Among Things

_I don't own any of the DOA characters. Tecmo does. _

Ryu Hayabusa dashed towards Ayane with a sword ready in his hand. He screamed and lifted his sword above his head, but didn't bring down on Ayane, who was already in her fighting stand.

"What are you doing here, Ryu. Shouldn't you be with Hayate-sama?" Ayane said.

Ryu didn't speak. He couldn't. He could hear rapid footsteps drawing closer to them.

"I can see that Hayate-sama has called on the assassins," Ayane spoke.

The rapid footsteps were becoming louder and louder to Ryu. He could hear leaves drifting down onto the moist ground and the "_whish" _of the assassins drawing out their swords.

"Yes. And they're coming closer too," Ayane continued. She wasn't surprised that Ryu wasn't speaking. That was how he always was. "So you're still waiting for the assassins?"

Ryu nodded, paying closer attention to the sounds around him.

Ayane sighed. She began laughing.

"What's so funny?" Ryu asked.

Ayane shook her head. "Nothing."

Ryu scoffed. "People don't laugh at _nothing_. They must have something to laugh."

"Is that the rule nowadays?" Ayane questioned.

"I would say that it's the truth," Ryu answered.

Ayane continued laughing.

"So, tell me…what is it that you are laughing?" Ryu said.

**Eight years ago**

Little Ayane continued running home from school. Her hair bounced up and down and her strong legs carried her everywhere.

"Slow down there, Ayane," Ayane's father, Genra, said.

Ayane ran to her father and braced her short arms around his waist. "Please, Daddy. Don't make me go back to that horrid school."

Genra sighed. "What about that girl you always talk about? What's her name? Kasumi, was it?"

Ayane nodded. "But Kasumi isn't always there when I need her."

"Well, I'm sure she'll be there tomorrow," Genra comforted.

"Why don't you walk with me to school tomorrow morning?" Ayane suggested.

Genra laughed. "And have _more _people laugh at you? No." He could see Ayane's heart sink. "Ayane, you're a strong eight year old girl. You can take out those guys that tease you. Right?"

Ayane shook her head. "I'm not strong, Daddy, nor smart, nor good looking."

"Where are you getting these things?" Genra asked. "An eight year old doesn't have to be good looking."

"Well, that's what these boys said," Ayane answered.

"Then, _damn_ those boys," Genra smirked.

Ayane giggled. She liked it when her father cursed. It was a way of her knowing that her father was protecting her.

"So you'll go to school tomorrow?" Genra asked.

Ayane moved her head up and down.

"I'm proud of you, Ayane."

Ayane sat on the wet ground staring down at it. She didn't dare to blink. Her eyes were already filling up with tears and her hands weren't touching the sword anymore. "It's funny that he said that he was proud of me because he wanted me continue going to school. I guess all he wanted me to do was to toughen up, so he could see a _true _ninja. But I guess he was wrong. He never saw one."

"So he continued making you go to school?" Ryu said.

"Yes, because I was never a _true _ninja." Ayane answered. "My father just became sadder and sadder each day that passed us, probably because of me."

Ryu couldn't hear the assassins anymore. They were probably looking for Kasumi, not him and Ayane. "I have to go, Ayane," Ryu said.

Ayane sighed. "I understand. Just go."

Ryu turned his back against Ayane and took his left foot forward, but didn't take another step. He closed his eyes and thought about what Kasumi would want him to do. Ryu could feel that all Kasumi wanted was for Ayane to be happy and as light as air.

"What are you doing?" Ayane asked. She saw Ryu walked towards her and sitting down with Ayane.

"Please. Tell me more."

Little Ayane dodged the rocks that were flying in the air. Her forehead was already bleeding from a hard blow of one of the rocks. The blood was already flowing down towards Ayane's eyes, but she ignored it. She was already having enough trouble dodging the rocks flying at her.

"Whoever hits her gets ten bucks from me!" a boy shouted to the others throwing rocks at Ayane.

Ayane could see the rock coming closer to her and a hand had reached out and caught the flying rock. "Kasumi," Ayane mumbled.

Kasumi threw the rock in her hand towards the boy who was shouting.

"Ow!" the boy screamed, putting his hands over his left eye.

Ayane didn't know what to say, accept for, "Thanks."

Kasumi gave back a timid smile. "It's no problem."

Ayane pulled her backpack over her shoulders to let it hang comfortably at her side.

"Hey, Ayane," Kasumi began. "My mom is cooking a big meal tonight and I thought that you might like to come over and help the whole family eat some."

Ayane lips instantly curved up. "Of course I would like to go to you house."

Kasumi continued smiling. "Great. I'll see you in the evening at my place." Kasumi gave Ayane a folded piece of paper. "That's my address inside."

Ayane slipped the folded piece of paper into her pocket.

"It was a bad idea," Ayane told Ryu. "If I hadn't gone to that house, then I wouldn't have known the truth about my birth."

"For some people, the truth sets you free," said Ryu.

Ayane scoffed. "I think that's only for _some_ people. Not me."

"You should be glad, Ayane," Ryu said.

"Of what?" Ayane snarled.

"I don't know. People are still looking for happiness," Ryu replied.

"_People! People! People! _What about _me_? Am _I _being forgotten _again_?" Ayane remarked.

"Who could forget about _you_?" Ryu asked.

Ayane sighed and stood up and patted her pants in case of un-washable mud stains. Ryu stood beside her and looked ahead of him. He could feel a presence behind him and it felt familiar.

"I better be getting back to the clan," Ayane said. "I'll look for Kasumi some other day."

Ryu didn't say anything.

"I'll see you…" and Ayane ran.

Ryu looked over his shoulder and saw Kasumi curled up with her knees brought close to her chest.

"I heard," Kasumi said.

"I know," Ryu answered.

"I'm sorry," said Kasumi.

"For what?" Ryu asked.

"I'm sorry that Ayane feels that way about me. I'm sorry that Ayane has to live like this for the rest of her life."

"_Life?_" Ryu echoed. "Ayane's got to stop some time."

"When?" Kasumi asked.

"When she discovers the next truth about herself," Ryu replied.


End file.
